Question on Source Routing Option

Tue Sep 25 16:12:39 UTC 2001

On Tue, 25 Sep 2001 15:56:56 -0000, tarun banka <t_banka at hotmail.com>  said:

> server to client and vice versa.   I am aware that source routing option is 
> disabled because of security risks. I want to know is there any tool which 
> can help  me in finding what routers that can support source routing. It 

The problem you will find is that even if you can locate a router that
supports source routing, the chances are high that there will be one or more
routers that actively block source-routed packets.

Depending on what you're trying to research, you *may* be able to get by
with a setup as follows:

                  B
                /   \
               A      D
                 \  /
                   C

and using pairs of VPN tunnels (A-B B-D) and (A-C C-D) to simulate source
routing.

Not only is source routing often a security issue, it also suffers from
major workability problems: a) it doesn't scale well (tragedy of the commons)
even if you find a better path, if everybody does it, the better path isnt
better anymore.  b) If you're source routing through someplace that becomes
unreachable, the routing protocols know, but you dont.

Much historical info on why source routing doesn't work can be found in
old UUCP bang-paths - seismo!<something>!sandbox!clutx! was mine for a while,
and of course mail didnt move if something-sandbox wasnt working....

-- 
				Valdis Kletnieks
				Operating Systems Analyst
				Virginia Tech

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